inflate
verb
in·flate
| \ in-ˈflāt
\
\
inflated;
inflating
Definition of inflate
1
: to swell or distend with air or gas
2
: to puff up : elate
inflate one's ego
3
: to expand or increase abnormally or imprudently
: to become inflated
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Other Words from inflate
inflator
or inflater \ in-ˈflā-tər
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of inflate in a Sentence
We used a pump to inflate the raft.
Economists warn that rapid economic growth could inflate prices.
Increased competition has inflated salaries among professional athletes.
Rapid economic growth may cause prices to inflate.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Amid the constant, engulfing hum of the conveyor belts, a machine behind the worker inflates plastic cushioning to buffer the products. — Mike Rogoway, oregonlive.com, "Amazon warehouse in Troutdale: logistical marvels and persistent worker complaints," 6 Aug. 2019 In 1992, the NAACP accused local officials of intentionally inflating taxes to push out black families on Daufuskie, a South Carolina sea island that has become one of the hottest real-estate markets on the Atlantic coast. — Lizzie Presser, ProPublica, "The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It.," 15 July 2019 Yet the issue of initial conditions remained: What was the source of the minuscule patch that allegedly ballooned into our cosmos, and of the potential energy that inflated it? — Wired, "Cosmologists Clash Over the Beginning of the Universe," 16 June 2019 Those rock stars took over after Freddie Mac CEO Leland Brendsel and Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines left within a year of each other, in 2003 and 2004, for inflating portfolio values and touching up earnings in accounting scandals. — Michael Taylor, ExpressNews.com, "Rebuilding the Fanny-Freddie Frankenstein," 14 June 2019 Some species of grasshoppers are as much as 77 percent protein in dry weight, although, according to a 2017 study done in Wageningen, protein content numbers for some other critters may be inflated. — Marta Zaraska, Discover Magazine, "Raising the Steaks: How One City in the Netherlands Wants to Feed the World," 13 Mar. 2019 Engineers at Honda R&D Americas, based near Columbus, Ohio, worked with airbag manufacturer Autoliv to create a bag that inflates into something approximating a baseball catcher’s mitt, with three inflated compartments. — Eric Adams, WIRED, "Honda's New Airbag Catches Your Head to Save Your Brain," 24 Aug. 2019 The review excluded some small cities that are designated as counties, which inflates the per capita calculations. — Anchorage Daily News, "Just 15% of U.S. pharmacies distributed nearly half of prescription opioid pain pills," 12 Aug. 2019 Other pharmacy chains who responded to inquiries by cleveland.com cited factors that could inflate the number of pills shipped to certain locations, such as the proximity to nursing homes and the lack of pharmacies in neighboring areas. — Eric Heisig, cleveland.com, "Pharmacies across Ohio received large amounts of painkillers as opioid epidemic ramped up," 31 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inflate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for inflate
inflate
verb
English Language Learners Definition of inflate
: to add air or gas to (something, such as a tire or a balloon) and make it larger
: to become larger by being filled with air or gas
: to think or say that (something) is larger or more important than it really is
See the full definition for inflate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
inflate
verb
in·flate
| \ in-ˈflāt
\
\
inflated;
inflating
Kids Definition of inflate
1
: to swell or fill with air or gas
inflate a balloon
2
: to cause to increase beyond proper limits
Prices have been inflated.
inflate
verb
in·flate
| \ in-ˈflāt
\
\
inflated;
inflating
Medical Definition of inflate
: to swell or distend with air or gas
inflate the lungs
: to become inflated
Other Words from inflate
inflation
\ in-ˈflā-shən
\
noun
\
noun
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